The 1995/96 season will be remembered by Preston fans as the campaign that North End pulled themselves up from the basement of the Football League and en-route to the Championship.
At the start of the campaign in Gary Peters' first full season in charge at Deepdale, North End recruited strikers Andy Saville and Steve Wilkinson. Despite the new look front line; the Lilywhites drew seven out of the opening eleven league games, a cause for concern for Peters.
Taking this into consideration, the manager acted swiftly and brought in Dean Barrick and Russ Wilcox to shore up the defence. This was a move that paid off and after drawing 2-2 with Fulham on Wilcox's debut on 23rd September at Craven Cottage, Preston went on to win the next four games and kick start their charge for promotion.
Peters brought in a centre half that had been selected in the PFA's Third Division Team of the Year, a coup he would again receive in North End's title winning season. Speaking to The One and Only this week, Wilcox explains why he knew moving to Preston from other promotion hopefuls Doncaster was the right move for him.
"Doncaster were going to push for promotion in the previous season but then they sold a few key players in the March of 1995." Wilcox said.
"Preston has a great fan base; it was an easy decision really. To be honest, I actually took a pay cut to sign for Preston which I'm not sure many people would believe! Maybe that wouldn't happen nowadays.
"Gary Peters showed me around and the facilities were really good. I knew a bit about the history of the Club and you could see that it was going to be an exciting time.
"We made some good signings; Andy Saville came in, as well as Steve Wilkinson. I thought then that we would have a good chance of getting promotion in the first season."
Something that became apparent to Wilcox when he came to Deepdale was the distinct managerial style of Peters. Wilcox was impressed with what he saw upon his arrival at Preston.
"Peters was very demanding; he expected high standards which was good. When I went there you could see that the training straight away was well organised, the lads trained properly, and there was a positive attitude around the place.
"They say that attitudes reflect from the leadership and that certainly did come from the top. If the manager is sloppy then there is a good chance that the players might be. His discipline was good, maybe a bit over the top at times but he kept us on the straight and narrow and he made good signings that year."
"We had some big wins that season, beating Mansfield 6-0 at home and winning 4-0 down at Torquay. We scored lots of goals and I think that we were entertaining; we looked good going forward with Andy Saville getting 30 goals that season. We also chipped in from other areas, I think Simon Davey had ten, Graham Atkinson got several from midfield and Ian Bryson scored a few screamers!"
Wilcox went on to make 29 appearances that season for Preston after joining the Club one month into the campaign and the ex-North End defender recalls the Preston players that were so successful on the pitch were the best of friends off it.
"It was a good time off of the pitch there too; we had a good group of lads who gelled quickly on and off the pitch. We liked each other's company and socialised together as well, wives and girlfriends got along and it was a really good period during my career."
A good period in Wilcox's career was exactly what it was and the former North End centre half believes that he was playing at Deepdale at possibly the peak of his career. This seemed to blend well with the settled starting 11 that Peters used to start with most weeks.
"I think that with the position I played that you peak a little later because you know the game, you have a better understanding and your positional play improves with experience. My best period was probably between the ages of 29 and 33 which coincided with my couple of years at Preston.
"At the back I obviously played alongside David Moyes and Ryan Kidd sometimes as well. I just think that we complimented each other well with Dean Barrick at left back and Andy Fensome at right back.
"It was a really settled side, and you could probably name the side each week with Ian Byrson on the left, Simon Davey and Graham Atkinson in midfield with Andy Saville and Steve Wilkinson up front. That is always a sign that you are doing well."
Something else that the fans favourite did enjoy was his relationship at the back with David Moyes. When describing their partnership, Wilcox believes that he and Moyes had the right blend of attributes at the back.
"I think that David and I were similar although I would describe David as probably better than me in the air, certainly in the opposing box, and he seemed to get a few more goals than I did, although my goal against Carlisle in the FA Cup was the best of my career.
"Technically I think that I was a little bit stronger than David and I'm sure he'd admit that! We complimented each other well. We got on well together as friends and we still speak now. It was a good partnership, we roomed together on overnight trips and we enjoyed this part of our careers."
This partnership steadied the ship at Deepdale in the early stages of the season and provided the foundations for Preston to mount a serious charge for promotion. This is what North End did, beating Tony Pulis' Gillingham to the top spot after racking up a total of 86 points.
Wilcox recalls the day that the Lilywhites clinched promotion and the words of advice that Peters offered them, something that spurred the players on to lift the silverware.
"It was amazing, the big game that led up to it was the Orient game away when we did actually clinch promotion. Andy Saville scored two great goals and I just remember his second goal. The 'keeper fluffed it, Saville then looked up, saw the goalkeeper out and lifted it over him. After that second goal, you had the feeling then and I was thinking this is it, this is the day we do achieve it!
"I remember Gary saying to us that, "it is all down to you lads now, I've done my job, the board are happy so it is down to you now if you want a medal or not." I think that drove us on to make that final push and we won the last two games 2-0 too."
"The last game against Exeter at home was a full house which was amazing really. The Sir Tom Finney stand had just been opened and there were nearly 19,000 fans there that sunny day.
"It was a fitting end to a marvellous season. I remember Sav scoring his 30th goal of the season with a left foot volley that went in off of the post, and it was just a great day.
"As well as my wife and eldest son, both my parents and my wife's parents were there. My Dad always came to watch me but my Mum had only seen me play once before when I was 12 and this time I was 31! My wife's parents had never seen me play let alone be presented with a Champions' medal so it was just a really special time and I look back on it now with treasured memories."
Wilcox departed Deepdale in 1997 to join up with Scunthorpe United and although it was a tough decision at the time, this move inspired the former North End defender into a career in coaching. Nowadays, Wilcox is currently with ex-North End player Graham Alexander at Turf Moor as Brian Laws' Assistant Manager.
"It was a tough decision because I was offered another year, I was told by Gary that I may not play many games because he wanted to go younger. I think that he brought Michael Jackson in and a couple more centre halves.
"The pure temptation of having a two year contract at Scunthorpe and a fresh challenge appealed to me although I was obviously very disappointed to leave Preston in the end. However, I left with wonderful memories.
"I had completed my coaching badges when I was about 28-years-old and eventually there was a chance when I was 35 to step in as number two to Brian Laws at Scunthorpe United and that is nearly 11 years ago now."
